Leigh Leopards have confirmed that ten members of their playing squad will depart the club at the end of the season.
Among those ten are three Hull FC signings in captain John Asiata and fellow veterans Zak Hardaker and Oliver Holmes, whom the Black and Whites had confirmed as signings earlier in the year.
Both Tom Amone and Kai O’Donnell will return to the NRL whilst a further five will also depart although their futures remain unconfirmed.
Leigh Leopards confirmed the exits with a statement released on the club website.
It read: “Leigh Leopards are able to confirm the players who will depart from the club at the end of the 2024 season.
“Club captain John Asiata and four other members of the 2023 Challenge Cup-winning team—Tom Amone, Zak Hardaker, Oliver Holmes, and Kai O’Donnell—will continue their distinguished careers elsewhere. Ricky Leutele, Jacob Jones, Jacob Gannon, Tom Nisbet, and Lewis Baxter will also leave the club.
“The Club wishes to thank all of their departing players for their efforts, and wish them every success and happiness in the future.”
Leigh Leopards confirm double-figure exits
Credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
The statement also confirmed that the Leigh fans will be provided with an opportunity to pay thanks to their players at the end of the Leopards’ final home game of the season against St Helens on Friday night.
Leigh know that a win will ensure that they make the top six but they could still scrape in with a loss if both Leeds and Catalans fail to win against Hull KR and Hull FC respectively.
The club would go on to pay tribute to each of the ten departing players, five of which have confirmed destinations.
John Asiata, Oliver Holmes and Zak Hardaker will all head to Hull FC for the 2025 season whilst Tom Amone (Canterbury Bulldogs) and Kai O’Donnell (North Queensland Cowboys) will return to the NRL.
Of the five others to exit, centre Ricky Leutele has been linked to Huddersfield Giants but the futures of Jacob Jones, Jacob Gannon, Tom Nisbet and Lewis Baxter remain unclear.
Those four have played a combined two games for the Leopards this year with Lewis Baxter picking up both of those appearances.
Nisbet is currently Leigh’s longest-serving player after joining on loan during the 2021 season whilst Jones has had a strong season on loan with London Broncos.
Baxter will depart a year after joining from St Helens whilst Gannon has represented York Knights on loan for much of the season.
Leigh Leopards also thanked the likes of Tom Briscoe, Aaron Smith and Ed Chamberlain, all of whom left earlier in the campaign.
